IMRAN™: In My Humble Opinion: April 2025

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Security System Shows Serene Seaside Spring Sunday Scene - IMRAN®

#IMRAN, #Florida, #TampaBay, #ApolloBeach, #boating #seaside #Sunday #weekend #spring #March #weekend

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Reflections On Past Reflecting The Present, And Majesty of Reflections As MetLife Building, Reflects In Grand Hyatt At Start Of 2010 – IMRAN®

As 2009 drew to a close and 2010 began, I faced one of the darkest chapters of my life. It wasn't just me; many shared the anguish brought on by the fallout of George W. Bush-era Republican policies—tax cuts that transformed a surplus economy into a near-depression.

Reflecting on this photo now, amid the wreckage of another promising economy undone by short-sighted governance, I see history repeating itself.

Tariffs shifted onto consumers, draconian budget cuts targeting vital services for the middle class and underprivileged—all to funnel yet another trillion dollars into the coffers of the ultra-wealthy.

This poignant, unedited (SOOC) image was taken with the Nikon D300 during the first week of 2010, on a bitterly cold yet strikingly beautiful day in Manhattan. The MetLife Building, forever etched in my mind as the PanAm Building, rose steadfastly behind the timeless facade of Grand Central Terminal. Its towering majesty reached into the urban sky, while its reflective counterpart shimmered across the pristine windows of the Grand Hyatt—an architectural poetry frozen in time.

This photograph isn’t just a memory; it’s a reminder of resilience and perspective amid personal and collective trials. But this time around, our very survival as a constitutional democratic republic hangs on the precipice of erasure.

#Architecture, #Blue, #commentary, #democracy, #economics, #Economy, #History, #IMHO, #IMRAN, #landmarks, #Manhattan, #NewYork, #NewYorkCity, #Nikon, #opinion, #Outdoors, #prose, #Republicans, #Travel Nikon Times Square, New York City Grand Hyatt Hyatt MetLife

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Thought For Food: Kudos Delta Air For Restaurant Quality Inflight Meal 35,000’ Up In The Air En Route To JFK New York - IMRAN®

How have your air travel experiences changed over time? Here’s my story.

When I started flying as an unaccompanied 7-year old child in Pakistan, PIA, the national airline was a world class operation. Even 1.5 hour domestic economy flights included sumptuous meal service.

Meanwhile meals have turned into so-called snacks — like crappy pretzels would not even give my dog.

I do have to give kudos to Delta for the fabulous quality of their in-flight meals. Mind you, this type of offering is in First Class, but even their economy snacks are far better than many others.

This particular tender beef offering on a recent flight to JFK was literally Manhattan restaurant quality. Ironically, that’s where I was flying to for the weekend.

#IMRAN #NewYork #food #foodie #travel #flying #airlines #CustomerService #CustomerExperience #DeltaAirlines #IMHO

Friday, April 25, 2025

Breathtaking Beyond Words Weekend Stunning Sunset - IMRAN®

No words can do justice or describe this beyond breathtaking sunset I captured at my blessed home on Saturday, March 15, 2025.

#ApolloBeach, #Boating, #contrails, #D300, #Florida, #IMRAN, #Lifestyle, #Maghreb, #Nature, #night, #Nikon, #prose, #seaside, #StPetersburg, #Sunset, #Tampa, #TampaBay, #Water, #gratitude

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

K2 Clearly Excited Trying To Control The Joystick... The One To Fly My Drone - IMRAN®

I hadn't flown any of my drones in quite some time, so I decided to take one for a spin on a stunning spring afternoon at home on Tampa Bay. The shimmering sea and clear skies promised breathtaking footage, but it seems K2—my now 5+ year-old German Shepherd—was far more excited than I was. With his joystick seemingly in overdrive, K2 couldn’t wait to get his paws on the drone's joystick too!

Between me trying to capture cinematic shots and him keen on viewing the controller screen & piloting, it was hard to tell who was truly in control.

#aerial, #ApolloBeach, #badpuns, #DJI, #dog, #drone, #Florida, #Flying, #GermanShepherdDog, #GSD, #IMRAN, #puns, #spring, #TampaBay, #wordplay, #pilots,

Thought for Food: Sating a River Ravi Lahore Pakistani Appetite in Riverview, Florida - IMRAN®

After a hectic, nonstop day of meetings, I’m deeply grateful everything went so well. But by 5 pm, having only had a soup all day, I was famished.

As I found myself in Riverview, Florida—ironically with hardly any view of a river—my Pakistani appetite, nurtured in the vibrant city of Lahore on the historic River Ravi, guided me to Roti’s restaurant.

Their menu is simple, and I hope it expands soon—and faster than my waistline! While Chicken Tikka Masala is among my personal favorites, this nearby spot offers Butter Chicken, known to be a go-to for many non-desi American diners. I decided to indulge in it as a late lunch and early dinner, and packed two other dishes to go.

Once the beast of Pakistani tastebuds is awakened, it craves a spicy feast for several days—and I’m more than happy to oblige!

#IMRAN #food #foodie #dining #gratitude #nutrition #health #lifestyle #Pakistan #Pakistani #Indian #wordplay #humor #prose

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Beautiful Boat Crossing Spectacular Sunset – 3 Years Ago at Apollo Beach Home on Tampa Bay - IMRAN®

Three years ago, on April 28, 2022, my iPhone 13 Pro Max captured this incredible scene right here at Apollo Beach. Despite the advancements in camera technology since then, the way this moment was perfectly rendered—even back then—makes it truly extraordinary.

The image features a neighbor's stunning boat gliding in front of and beneath the fiery golden-yellow Florida sunset. The glowing clouds set the sky ablaze while reflecting beautifully on the water visible just behind the cockpit.

Adding to the magic, the boat's radar antenna aligns flawlessly with the horizon—a detail so precise it feels almost too perfect to be accidental.

It was the perfect time to pause for Maghreb prayers and express heartfelt gratitude for all of my life's blessings.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #gratitude #boating #sunset #seaside #photooftheday #marine #seaside #Thursday #spring #reflections #photography #iPhonePhotography

Monday, April 21, 2025

GSDs K2 & Laila Beach Sunset Date Tonight On Tampa Bay - IMRAN®

My 5-year old GSD K2 loves swimming and can’t get enough of playing fetch with coconuts thrown as balls into the water. He leaps into the water, swims to retrieve the “ball”, and leap back up over the seawall.

Laila, my nearby neighbors’ beautiful GSD female is approaching age 10. She’s more like the age my precious German Shepherd Kennedy was when he crossed the rainbow bridge one year ago. But she clearly got excited each time K2 would swim in the bay and return with the object. K2 played cool.

#IMRAN, #Florida, #TampaBay, #ApolloBeach, #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #Sunset #sky #clouds #seaside #spring #Monday

Sunday, April 20, 2025

“It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s SuperSunset!” - IMRAN®

When nature flexes its cinematic superpowers, it delivers an Oscar-worthy spectacle right here at my blessed Apollo Beach home on Tampa Bay.

The sky ignites in fiery red and white brilliance, as if its vivid colors were lifted straight from a comic book, casting a golden glow over tranquil waters.

A lone bird and a distant plane make a cameo in this blockbuster moment. No CGI, no filters—just reality at its finest, a breathtaking display of nature’s own cinematic universe.

A moment later, like an unexpected bogey, a second bird swoops into the scene, simulating aerial dogfight maneuvers. Meanwhile, my bold yet disciplined German Shepherd dog K2 remains grounded at my feet, calmly observing the spectacle above.

When I posted the original video I had managed to take a few screenshots during, I added the Danger Zone song from the Top Gun movie soundtrack. By pure coincidence the shaking of the camera from my trying to zoom in and out added the same kind of urgency as in the opening sequence of the movies Top Gun and later of Maverick as well. I will share a link in the comments as I am sure you will love it.

As the evening sky puts on a show, it doesn’t hold back. Tonight’s sunset isn’t just stunning—it’s super!

(Captured & written on April 17, 2024)

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #Sunset #Sky #Nature #Flying #Aircraft #Seaside #Beach #Birds #Movies #Comics #Superman #Wordplay

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Phoebe’s “HOME” Terminal Dive - IMRAN®

Most of you’ve probably seen pictures of Phoebe, the 21-foot flamingo turning Tampa International Airport into an immersive art experience.

Officially titled HOME, this sculpture by Matthew Mazzotta gives travelers a surreal welcome as the flamingo appears to wade through the terminal. It’s not just a statue—it’s a selfie magnet and a reminder that even airports can have a splash of whimsy.

It’s great to see Tampa International AirPort continuing to improve in the nearly 25-years I’ve flown through it and the dozen years of my living on Tampa Bay.

#IMRAN, #Florida, #TampaBay, #ApolloBeach, #TPA #airport #sculpture #statue #art #flamingo #architecture #travel

Friday, April 18, 2025

A Dog's Life: In The End We Walk Alone - IMRAN®

As April 1, 2024, was coming to an end, I was still reeling from the news that my precious and beloved German Shepherd, Kennedy, had an inoperable tumor. I wish it had been a cruel April Fool's joke, but this was devastating, heartbreaking reality.

With Kennedy's organs starting to fail, it was simply a matter of days before one of them would rupture. Despite the excruciating pain he must have been enduring, this brave dog—forever smiling, eternally loyal—had not whimpered or moaned even once.

As we walked home from one of the many walks he still cherished, Kennedy began doing something that brings me to tears even a year later as I write these words.

He would walk alongside K2 and me as we approached home. But on those final nights, Kennedy would stop and sit down in the middle of the cul-de-sac—not in pain, not due to disability, but with a quiet grace. Upright and alert, he gazed at me and his forever home, as if imprinting the vision into his soul. Beneath the serene night sky, with palm trees standing like silent witnesses, the hauntingly beautiful backdrop seemed to echo Kennedy's profound journey. All the while, his actions, his looks, his love were engraving themselves even deeper into mine.

Kennedy would then rise and walk toward home, toward me, casting a long shadow—a lasting imprint across my memories. And in his reassuring gaze, in his gentle smile, it was as though he were saying, "In the end, we all walk alone."

Kennedy, Best Dog Ever!

#IMRAN, #Florida, #TampaBay, #ApolloBeach, #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #Kennedy #memories #BestDogEver

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Serene Seaside Spring Sunday Scene - IMRAN®

#IMRAN, #Florida, #TampaBay, #ApolloBeach, #boating #seaside #Sunday #weekend #spring #March #weekend

Monday, April 14, 2025

GSD Tug Of War With Palm Fronds On Tampa Bay - IMRAN®

The longest day of the year flew by too quickly—just like the precious five years I had with Kennedy.

K2, my forever rambunctious pup, was just over a year old at the time. On June 21, 2021, I captured a series of moments between him and Kennedy, my beloved rescued German Shepherd Dog.

By then, Kennedy had been with me for two years, always eager to join the fun—especially to keep K2 entertained and bring joy to us both. Best Dog Ever!

#IMRAN, #Florida, #TampaBay, #ApolloBeach, #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #Kennedy #K2 #memories

Tuesday, April 08, 2025

See Sea Dog GSD K2 & White Swan Set Sights At Sunset At New York Home Beach Last Year - IMRAN®

This was the gorgeous sunset on the Great South Bay last year. Friday had been truly hectic but positive.

I was at the beach of my blessed New York home of nearly thirty years. The water was tranquil like Swan Lake, despite a chilly 40F breeze coming towards me.

See the beautiful swan and the sea dog German Shepherd K2 calmly eyeing each other. They were seeing the seaside scene as intently as I was.

The bay water held each at bay. The very playful K2 loves jumping in the water, just like Kennedy. But, also just like Kennedy, in this moment, K2 seemed to be admiring the swan and not disturbing its peaceful evening.

Curiosity. Coexistence. Tolerance. Discipline. The stunning sunset and dramatic dusk at Maghreb prayer time completed the mesmerizing scene.

Pure GSD. Pure nature. Pure magic. Pure gratitude.

#IMRAN #GSD #GSB #GermanShepherdDog #GreatSouthBay #NewYork #LongIsland #Suffolk #Patchogue #EastPatchogue #sunset #animals #nature #beach #seaside #dusk #gratitude #TGIF #autumn #November #lifestyle #SwanLake

Monday, April 07, 2025

Tokyo, We Have An Addiction - IMRAN®

#food #Japanese #IMRAN #photography #bokeh #sushi #sashimi #fish #cooking #puns #humor #wordplay #home #dining #style #foodie #LongIsland #NewYork

Sunday, April 06, 2025

Blue Hour Manhattan Plaza 33 Ping Pong Tables Across From Macy's Herald Square - IMRAN®

Manhattan, New York City, has been my "first and forever" hometown since my first visit in 1987 and living there since January 1989l. I have always loved driving (and even keeping a car) in the city.

But I also love European cities' open spaces for pedestrians. It is interesting to see how much of Times Square, and now also Herald Square, where Macy's flagship store is, are being given more space for people to do city living. I loved seeing these table tennis "tables" (appropriately fully locked into the concrete."

I will have to play with a friend there one day. Enjoy this view of blue hour in the city at the center of the universe. This was captured at a rare moment of no one walking by on June 23, 2022.

A Dog’s Life: Watchful K2 & Kennedy's Love of Dolphins, Even Through Pain - IMRAN®

A Dog’s Life: Watchful K2 & Kennedy's Love of Dolphins, Even Through Pain - IMRAN®
As I grappled with the devastating reality that my time with Kennedy was shorter than I had hoped, fate had its own plans. The news of his inoperable tumor and his struggle with basic functions left me heartbroken. I knew it was only a matter of time before his internal organs would reach a breaking point.
Yet, even in the midst of this pain, Kennedy’s spirit remained unbroken. One evening, as we stood on the dock, a heron gracefully landed atop my home. Kennedy observed it briefly but soon grew bored, leaving K2 to keep a vigilant eye on the bird—a true bird’s-eye view guardian.
But what truly brought Kennedy to life were the dolphins. The moment K2 and Kennedy heard the unmistakable sounds of a nearby dolphin, it was as if Kennedy had found his second wind. Watching him eagerly rush to see his beloved marine companions brought me a bittersweet joy. Best Dog Ever.

© 2024-2025 IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #memories #life #loss #greatness #philosophy #LifeLessons

Treasonous Trump Tried This Tariffs Turbulence Tactic Throughout Time - IMRAN®

People forget that Trump had tried to destroy the US economy with tariffs 7 years ago as well. But then his deliberate mismanagement of the pandemic did the job for him. This time around he’s got Musk like a chainsaw and other minions like termites destroying the economy and democracy together.

I happened to be going through old piles of subscribed magazines in my NY home when I found these July and August 2018 issues of Fortune and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Putin took over Washington DC without firing a shot.

#IMRAN #IMHO #commentary #facts #news #history #Trump #tariffs #Musk #traitors #democracy #magazines #journalism #economy

Thursday, April 03, 2025

Stunning Late Winter Sunset at Tampa Bay, Florida Home - IMRAN®

On Friday evening, February 21, 2025, a late winter sunset illuminated the skies over Tampa Bay, across from my blessed home in Apollo Beach. Stunning hues of red, yellow, orange, and gold splashed out from the intersecting bands of clouds, creating a breathtaking scene. I captured this moment using the iPhone 16 Pro Max—straight out of the camera (SOOC), with no edits or filters. A moment to say Maghreb prayers in gratitude.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #Sunset #Sky #Clouds #Nature #TGIF #Winter NoEdit NoFilter #Blessed #Gratitude #Maghreb

Wednesday, April 02, 2025

A Dog’s Life: K2 Turned 4 As Kennedy Bravely Faced The Sunset Of Life - IMRAN®

We all must face the sunset of life, whether man or beast. How we live our life, and how we face our end, are what differentiate the ordinary from the great. There is so much poignancy in this photo I took one year ago; emotions well up in me as I write these lines.

Kennedy showed his grace, sitting in the background of this photo at his forever home. Nothing could stop him from showing his beautiful smile and glowing love, regardless of what he was going through. The setting sun on Tampa Bay washed him and K2 in a golden light.

When my beloved Kennedy came into my life as a rescued German Shepherd, he was estimated to be between 4 and 5 years old. He had survived life on the streets of Texas, where he was abandoned despite someone spending thousands on some amazing training he’d had.

He had hip dysplasia. He also survived the brutal treatment for heartworm and other diseases he had before I got him. On paper, he would’ve been the last dog I’d want.

Who knew how long he would live or what other issues he would have? But in reality, there is no dog in the world I would have chosen to be mine forever, whatever time I would have him. Best Dog Ever!